Persistent Ebayer wants to deal privately

[slym2none]

Almost always make my offers privately - especially on more expensive books. I usually offer just a bit more than they would walk away with after eBay fees. I get a better deal and the seller gets more money and everyone's happy..ebay makes enough money nickel and diming . I see no issue with it as long as the communication is polite. If the answer is "no" then the answer is "no". If I don't get a response I suspect the seller is uncomfortable with it and I don't ask again. I sell my items the same way .

 

I've never understood this argument. People use this argument when pirating movies, software, etc. too. I'm pretty sure I've heard this argument for the Paypal Personal argument, as well.

 

Since when is it up to the consumer to determine when a business has made sufficient money that it is now ok to break their terms of service but use the service anyway...in effect stealing from them?

 

I usually ignore these offers. Maybe I'm making assumptions, but these offers often use "text speak" ("u" instead of "you", "pls" instead of "please", for example) and that just leads me to believe they're often members of a younger generation.

 

Rationalize away...it's still wrong.

 

Well-said!

 

 

 

 

-slym

[slym2none]

Is Ebay losing 12% of their potential net earnings..sure..are they still making money hand over fist..yes. Who am I to decide they've made enough ?

 

 

 

 

-slym

[kav]

Here's a scene from Vger's utopia:

He comes home and someone has broken in and stole all his stuff.

Cops show up. They say 'well sir it looks like you have or had more stuff than many people do-stealing is ok if someone has more than you-what's the problem?'

 

Another scene from the utopia:

Single mom who has a good job making custom curtains is told rich people are no longer allowed to buy stuff like that-you're out of a job. And, you're 'gross' to boot.

[Doohickamabob]

Here's a scene from Vger's utopia:

He comes home and someone has broken in and stole all his stuff.

Cops show up. They say 'well sir it looks like you have or had more stuff than many people do-stealing is ok if someone has more than you-what's the problem?'

You're pushing this angle too hard... Take it to WC... The subjects at hand are eBay off-site deals, fat people in showers, and Steely Dan songs.

 

 

[kav]

[Jeffro.]

Here's a scene from Vger's utopia:

He comes home and someone has broken in and stole all his stuff.

Cops show up. They say 'well sir it looks like you have or had more stuff than many people do-stealing is ok if someone has more than you-what's the problem?'

You're pushing this angle too hard... Take it to WC... The subjects at hand are eBay off-site deals, fat people in showers, and Steely Dan songs.

 

 

 

 

[jcjames]

Dang... always a good discussion when I'm busy...

 

• You can cite rules and laws that are set up to benefit a business that gorges on the middle class... but this has very little to with ethics.

 

• By your logic, all those workers in India and Indonesia should be content to work in sweat shops because they agreed to work there. If they don't like it, they could get a job in another sweat shop. All true, all legal... but still unethical to me.

 

• I'm not talking about stealing from eBay. I pay to list the book. If the book is no longer available because I sold it, I'm free to de-list. Sometimes a buyer will find me through an eBay's listing and we hammer out a deal. I argue for eBay to try and prevent this is in itself unethical... But people accept it like sheep because it is supported by the law.

 

• True, there are other auction sites like Heritage and ComicLink, but these pale in scale compared to eBay. These smaller sites may keep the Feds at bay but don't fool yourself into thinking that eBay is not a monopoly. Remember their aggressive maneuvers against Yahoo and Overstock? They even tried to squash Craigslist and Kijiji until they realized they couldn't shut them down... so they purchased a sizable chunk of their business instead.

 

• The larger issues of inequality in the world comes down to a lack of will. There is enough food, enough money, enough water to support the world population. However, it's this warped sense of "ethics" that prevents the distribution wealth. Remember the CEO of Worldcom who purchased $7000 shower curtains for his wife... how gross is that? The business is now defunct. He's still rolling around in money but many his employees had to find other means of support.

 

I'm not asking people to break any laws. But let's be clear about the difference. On one hand, stores like Walmart is an amazing achievement. But at what cost... Banks like Goldman Sachs are designed to make money. It's the perfect machine and it cares very little about your personal circumstance.

 

Okay... I've rambled enough. I'm out. Gotta go host a kids birthday party... Have a good weekend all.

 

Ebay is NOT a monopoly - you just proved it. The fact that they DIDN'T squash all competitors proves they're not a monopoly. Craigslist, Amazon, auction houses - they're all viable competitors to Ebay.

 

If you think Ebay is an evil monopoly, what do you think CGC is?

 

 

This all boils down to "agreeing to Ebay's terms of service". A contract. You either abide by it or you don't. Reasons don't matter.

 

You're either a man of your word or you're not.

 

The fees are MUCH lower than many other auction houses because their audience and customer base (volume) is so much larger.

 

Do I like fees? No, of course not, they're like taxes. Do I try to cheat to get out of paying them - well not Ebay fees (and I plead the 5th on taxes, because well - they took it from me first without my permission)

 

 

Back to the item in question - three bidders and one private-bidder. I will probably reject them all because I think this item is still rising in value and so I think I can get more for it a little bit later... maybe. Ya' never know.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[slym2none]

Back to the item in question - three bidders and one private-bidder. I will probably reject them all because I think this item is still rising in value and so I think I can get more for it a little bit later... maybe. Ya' never know.

 

Good luck!!!

 

 

 

 

-slym

[Vger7]

Ebay is NOT a monopoly - you just proved it. The fact that they DIDN'T squash all competitors proves they're not a monopoly. Craigslist, Amazon, auction houses - they're all viable competitors to Ebay.

 

Not true. Not being able to squash competitors does not resolve them of their actions. Case in point: Microsoft, De Beers. Remember, the court ruled against Microsoft and De Beers relocated. Where is Yahoo auctions on your list?

 

If you think Ebay is an evil monopoly, what do you think CGC is?

 

I never said eBay was evil. I said that eBay was a legal machine, much like Goldman Sachs. Putting words into my mouth does not mean that they originated from me. These are assumptions that you and many other have made.

 

This all boils down to "agreeing to Ebay's terms of service". A contract. You either abide by it or you don't. Reasons don't matter.

 

Absolutely right. So it's not about being "unethical".

 

You're either a man of your word or you're not.

 

Your projecting here... I can be honorable without being a slave to corporate idiocy.

 

The fees are MUCH lower than many other auction houses because their audience and customer base (volume) is so much larger.

 

I disagree but fees are not the main issue here.

 

Do I like fees? No, of course not, they're like taxes. Do I try to cheat to get out of paying them - well not Ebay fees (and I plead the 5th on taxes, because well - they took it from me first without my permission)

 

So, you comply with eBay but plead the 5th on taxes?

 

Back to the item in question - three bidders and one private-bidder. I will probably reject them all because I think this item is still rising in value and so I think I can get more for it a little bit later... maybe. Ya' never know.

 

I think we're free to choose what we're comfortable with...

[VintageComics]

Your projecting here... I can be honorable without being a slave to corporate idiocy.

 

Reminds me of a comic book dealer who backed out of a deal and then said "My word is good. Ask anybody!"

[MR SigS]

If you think Ebay is an evil monopoly, what do you think CGC is?

 

I never said eBay was evil. I said that eBay was a legal machine, much like Goldman Sachs. Putting words into my mouth does not mean that they originated from me. These are assumptions that you and many other have made.

 

 

If you think Ebay is a n evil monopoly, what do you think CGC is?

 

Does this help?

[Vger7]

Your projecting here... I can be honorable without being a slave to corporate idiocy.

 

Reminds me of a comic book dealer who backed out of a deal and then said "My word is good. Ask anybody!"

 

Come on Roy... you saying you've never been obligated to do something that you felt morally uncomfortable with?

[Vger7]

If you think Ebay is an evil monopoly, what do you think CGC is?

 

I never said eBay was evil. I said that eBay was a legal machine, much like Goldman Sachs. Putting words into my mouth does not mean that they originated from me. These are assumptions that you and many other have made.

 

 

If you think Ebay is a n evil monopoly, what do you think CGC is?

 

Does this help?

 

Considering that we're on a CGC forum, I deliberately chose not to address this. In any case, whether CGC is or not has no bearing on eBay.

[jcjames]

 

Considering that we're on a CGC forum, I deliberately chose not to address this. In any case, whether CGC is or not has no bearing on eBay.

So, you'll criticize Ebay for being a monopoly ("aggressive maneuvers") but plead the 5th on CGC.

 

 

 

 

ETA: Do you buy or sell on Ebay?

 

 

[Vger7]

 

Considering that we're on a CGC forum, I deliberately chose not to address this. In any case, whether CGC is or not has no bearing on eBay.

So, you'll criticize Ebay for its monopolistic "aggression" but plead the 5th on CGC.

 

 

Like I said, it has no bearing on the discussion.

[jcjames]

 

Neither did nearly your entire list of bulleted remarks!

 

It's a DISCUSSION forum.

 

 

 

[gunsmokin]

If I make an off eBay off I always present the seller with the option to realist as a buy it now at a set time if they don't want to skirt eBay.

[kav]

Anything can have bearing on a discussion if you want to discuss it.

[Vger7]

Neither did nearly your entire list of bulleted remarks!

 

It's a DISCUSSION forum.

 

 

 

Perhaps I offered too much with my bullet points. but that's where I saw the discussion headed towards so I was just trying get ahead of the discussion. Shall we discuss each point one by one...?

[jcjames]

Neither did nearly your entire list of bulleted remarks!

 

It's a DISCUSSION forum.

 

 

 

Perhaps I offered too much with my bullet points. but that's where I saw the discussion headed towards so I was just trying get ahead of the discussion. Shall we discuss each point one by one...?

 

Main point - If you use Ebay, do you attempt to violate the terms of your service agreement with them by trying to make offline purchases with Ebay buyers/sellers to avoid paying Ebay fees?

 

That's what my original post was about, someone doing just that. You seemed to indicate that you try to do that too.